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Parish Church of Our Lady of Victory
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
Religious Architecture
The founding of this church was closely connected with the early urban development of São Cristóvão. In 1608, the Bishop of Bahia created the Parish Church of Our Lady of Victory and, in 1617, it became the seat of the parish of the same name. Construction began in the same year. Following the Dutch occupation (1637-1647), the church was left almost in ruins and was gradually reconstructed on the initiative of the residents as life in the captaincy returned to normal. The church’s current aspect is the result of a series of alterations. Three modifications are recorded as having been made in the 19th century: the first in 1837. In 1845 and 1855, alterations were made to the two towers, the upper parts of which were faced with white tiles. They were also topped by domes. The building is austere, the façade exhibiting little harmony in terms of its proportions and features. The body of the church is framed by the two towers and completed by a cymatium surrounding a shield inscribed with the date 1837. The pediment decorated with volutes is in a later style. The series of modifications that the building underwent becomes clear in the interior. The ceiling and decorative features were removed from the nave, to which aisles were also added. Close to the intersection with the chancel stand two side chapels, transversal to the nave, one of them dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. The altarpieces in these chapels, as well as in the chancel, are in a style characteristic of the 19th century, consisting of white and gilded wood carvings with a predominance of plant motifs. Because of its historical and architectural value, this church was listed by IPHAN in 1943.
Maria Berthilde Moura Filha